TY - JOUR
T1 - Mental health content of Australian pre-registration nursing curricula
T2 - Summary report and critical commentary
AU - McCann, Terence V.
AU - Moxham, Lorna
AU - Farrell, Gerald
AU - Usher, Kim
AU - Crookes, Patrick
PY - 2010/7/1
Y1 - 2010/7/1
N2 - Background: Concerns have been expressed about inadequate mental health content in generic pre-registration nursing curricula in Australia. These have led to claims new graduates are inadequately prepared to care for patients with mental health issues. The Mental Health Nurse Education Taskforce set up for the purpose of the project by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council, carried out a national exploration of mental health content in pre-registration nursing curricula in order to develop a framework for including mental health in future pre-registration courses. This paper summarises the Taskforce's report, and presents a critical commentary on several aspects, of the Taskforce's report. Methods: The project comprised a literature review, a national survey, national consultations, and advice from an Expert Reference Group. Results: The report sets out a framework, which included the core values underpinning learning and teaching, learning outcomes, learning and teaching principles, and benchmarks for inclusion of mental health content in curricula. It recommended that a national approach needed to be taken to accreditation of curricula. This, together with greater collaboration between universities and clinical agencies, and the adoption of innovative strategies to secure clinical places, will help ensure a consistent adoption of the framework in each state and territory.
AB - Background: Concerns have been expressed about inadequate mental health content in generic pre-registration nursing curricula in Australia. These have led to claims new graduates are inadequately prepared to care for patients with mental health issues. The Mental Health Nurse Education Taskforce set up for the purpose of the project by the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council, carried out a national exploration of mental health content in pre-registration nursing curricula in order to develop a framework for including mental health in future pre-registration courses. This paper summarises the Taskforce's report, and presents a critical commentary on several aspects, of the Taskforce's report. Methods: The project comprised a literature review, a national survey, national consultations, and advice from an Expert Reference Group. Results: The report sets out a framework, which included the core values underpinning learning and teaching, learning outcomes, learning and teaching principles, and benchmarks for inclusion of mental health content in curricula. It recommended that a national approach needed to be taken to accreditation of curricula. This, together with greater collaboration between universities and clinical agencies, and the adoption of innovative strategies to secure clinical places, will help ensure a consistent adoption of the framework in each state and territory.
KW - Centralised clinical allocation
KW - Core values
KW - Mental health nursing content
KW - Pre-registration nursing curricula
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953687918&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nedt.2009.08.002
DO - 10.1016/j.nedt.2009.08.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 20452102
AN - SCOPUS:77953687918
SN - 0260-6917
VL - 30
SP - 393
EP - 397
JO - Nurse Education Today
JF - Nurse Education Today
IS - 5
ER -